one must slaughter of the
flocks of the Euboeans as many as he wanted, for it was better that
their army should have them than the enemy; moreover he advised that
each one should command his own men to kindle a fire: and as for the
time of their departure he would see to it in such wise that they should
come safe to Hellas. This they were content to do, and forthwith when
they had kindled a fire they turned their attention to the flocks.

20. For in fact the Euboeans, neglecting the oracle of Bakis as if it
had no meaning at all, had neither carried away anything from their land
nor laid in any store of provisions with a view to war coming upon them,
and by their conduct moreover they had brought trouble upon themselves.
15 For the oracle uttered by Bakis about these matters runs as follows:

"Mark, when a man, a Barbarian, shall yoke the Sea with papyrus,
Then do thou plan to remove the loud-bleating goats from Euboea."

In the evils which at this time were either upon them or soon to be
expected they might feel not a little sorry that they had paid no
attention to these lines.

21. While these were thus engaged, there came to them the scout from
Trachis: for there was at Artemision a scout named Polyas, by birth
of Antikyra, to whom it had been appointed, if the fleet should be
disabled, 16 to signify this to those at Thermopylai, and he had a
vessel equipped and ready for this purpose; and similarly there was with
Leonidas Abronichos son of Lysicles, an Athenian, ready to carry news to
those at Artemision with a thirty-oared galley, if any disaster should
happen to the land-army. This Abronichos then had arrived, and he
proceeded to signify to them that which had come to pass about Leonidas
and his army; and then when they were informed of it no longer put off
their retreat, but set forth in the order in which they were severally
posted, the Corinthians first and the Athenians last.

22. Themistocles however selected those ships of the Athenians which
sailed best, and went round to the springs of drinking-water, cutting
inscriptions on the stones there, which the Ionians read when they
came to Artemision on the following day. These inscriptions ran thus:
"Ionians, ye act not rightly in making expedition against the fathers of
your race and endeavouring to enslave Hellas. Best of all were it that
ye should come and be on our side; but if that may not be done by you,
stand aside even now from the combat agains